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The response came as Japan decided to increase defence spending for the first time in 11 years, according to the Kyodo news agency.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Kyodo said that the newly-elected Liberal Democratic Party is trying to bring defence spending for the 2013 financial year to at least 4.77 trillion yen ($53.43bn).

That compares with the 2012 budget of 4.71 trillion yen initiated by the Democratic Party of Japan, which suffered a crushing defeat in last months general election.

#5 Again, "Post-US" wannbe Rising China wants unchallenged strategic access into WESTPAC - wid Taiwan reunification effec stalled, it wants territorial concessions + "sole" PLA base rights vee Japan. I don't see China compromising or giving up on its East China Sea claims unless it gets PERMANENT PLA BASE RIGHTS ON TAIWAN, + PROLLY ALSO DE FACTO SOVEREIGNTY + CONTROL OER THE JAPANESE SENKAKUS, TO PROTECT THE PLA ON TAIWAN + IN EXCHANGE FOR CHINA NOT CHALLENGING JAPAN'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER OKINAWA OR SUPPOR LOCAL OKINAWAN SEPARATISM. China may accept sovereign Japanese control over Yonaguni + related Japan-claimed islets just off Taiwan as long as JSDF forces are not garrisoned there - in exchange, Japan may have to give all claims to Dokkdo.

IMO IN CHINA'S VIEW, HOWEVER, IN NE ASIA IT
M-U-S-T HAVE AT MINIMA TAIWAN + PROTECTED ACCESS FROM SAME INTO WESTPAC.

Ditto in the South China Sea as per the PLA having base rights to e.g. SUBIC + FORMER CLARK USAFB, albeit likely in "joint/combined" = shared utility/use, NOT "sole", wid the USDOD + PHIL Armed Forces. THE ADVANTAGE FOR THE PHIL WOULD BE NEW SOURCES OF NATIONAL REVENUE, ECON + DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, + HELP IN KEEPING RADICAL MUSLIM MILTANT-SEPARATIST GROUPS IN THE SOUTHERN PHIL [Regional = Indonesian, SE Asian Jihadis?] UNDER EFFEC CONTROL.

The disadvantage would be the PHIL getting rid of the USA only to have the Chinese come in.

IN THE ABSENCE OF THE ABOVE, I'M EXPECTING CHINA TO "OPEN FIRE" = INITIATE MIL CONFLICT AGZ JAPAN SOMETIME SOON. History suggests that China will one day just suddenly shockingly mysteriously open fire on the JSDF + JCG, + destroy everything + everyone in sight AMAP AFAP.

CHINA HAS STRATEGIC + TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS, JAPAN HAS NOTHING.

* CHIN MIL FORUMS/BLOGS > VARIOUS ARTICS denote that China has enough NucWeaps to effectively destroy Japan while having enuff in remainder to deal wid any incoming US intervention forces or to attack CONUS.

Lest we fergit, Chinese State Medias + Netters are increasingly calling for "tit-for-tat" retaliation + escalation by the PLA.

Cold War-style "Managed Escalation/Response"???

versus

* WORLD MILITARY FORUM > POSSIBLE SINO-JAPAN WAR OVER DISPUTED EAST CHINA SEA ISLANDS COULD BEGIN CIRCA APRIL 2013. JAPAN NEEDS AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM OF ONE MONTH TO HOLD SERIOUS PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE + VOTE ON AMENDING ITS ANTI-WAR, POST-1945 CONSTITUTION INCLUD PROVISIONS BANNING JAPAN FROM DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
CHINA'S NEED TO PERMANENTLY SETTLE EAST CHINA ISLAND DISPUTES BEFORE JAPAN CAN DEVELOP ITS OWN NUCLEAR ARSENAL.

* SAME > POPULAR CCTV COMMENTATOR ZHANG
ZHAOZHONG: CHINA + PLA CAN IMMEDIATELY STRIKE AND DESTROY JAPAN WID OVERWHELMING CONVENTIONAL OR NUCLEAR FORCES ATTACK IFF JAPAN'S ASDF SHOOT DOWN ANY CHINESE CMS OR SOA PLANES RECONNOITERING OVER THE JAPAN-CLAIMED DAOYUS, US WILL NEED SIX MONTHS OR MORE TO PROPERLY MOBILIZE AND DEPLOY US FORCES FOR INTERVENTION IN SINO-JAPAN CRISIS.

* SAME > PLAN RADM YIN ZHOU: CHINA WILL STICK TO ITS "NO FIRST SHOT" POLICY AGZ JAPAN OVER DISPUTED ISLANDS. IFF JAPAN IS FOOLISH ENOUGH TO OPEN FIRE ON CHINESE SHIPS OR AIRCRAFT, CHINA WILL MILITARILY FIGHT TO THE BITTER END NO MATTER IFF THE US CHOOSES TO INTERVENE OR NOT.

Taken collectively, it looks like the Bammer may have both CHINA-JAPAN + IRAN MILITARY CRISES TO DEAL WITH COME SUMMER 2013, EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF WHICH COULD EASILY EXPLODE INTO REGIONAL, MULTI-REGIONAL, + "GREAT POWER" WAR, + WITH US, GLOBAL ECON + "FISCAL CLIFF", DEBT "BUBBLES, ETC. NOTWITHSTANDING.